production under open-field pollination. An analysis of variance of these traits revealed the superiority of cultivar Fakir for vegetative and seed production. The local varieties showed a better winter growth, a quick start in the spring and a earlier flowering time while keeping a good level of frost tolerance. This is a very interesting trait for the farming systems in these regions, because it allows grazing during the winter which is complementary to the alfalfa cultivars used. Sainfoin shows a large variability for aftermath flowering. The differences between the 2 types of growth, '1 cut' and '2 cuts', are highly significant. The '1 cut' local varieties are less productive and show a low persistency. This is the contrary of what is generally observed by farmers. This could be due to the frequency of cutting (3-4 cuts during the growing season) which is the normal rate for the 2 cuts' types. In these regions '1 cut' local vari-* Correspondance et tirés à part eties are usually grazed in spring and autumn, with a rest period during the summer. Principal component analysis was carried out to identify clusters of homogeneous behaviour. Firstly, there is a definite separation between the '1 cut' and '2 cuts' types and between the cultivars and local varieties. This confirms the originality of these local varieties. A hierarchical clustering method on the first 4 components was used to separate the different groups. A partition into 6 clusters was chosen. Each cluster was described by means of the different traits and compared with the other clusters. The genetic resources of sainfoin are very difficult to preserve, because this species is allogamous, self-incompatible, requires insect pollination, and its seeds have a low viability (5-8 years), even in a cold chamber. These clusters were used to build some 'genetic pools' to preserve the local varieties collected.
On the northern Mediterranean island of Corsica, 28 populations of subterranean clover were tested during 3 years: 18 French native ecotypes, and 5 Australian and 5 Spanish cultivars. A principal component analysis showed that dry matter yields, seasonal growth rhythms, and maturity date were the most important factors in the observed variability. By cluster analysis, 6 groups of subterranean clover were defined from these factors. Seasonal and total yields were linked to annual rainfall, but with a specific coefficient for each group. For 100 mm of rainfall, we obtained a range of production from 0.4 t DM/ha for the least productive group to 1.1 t DM/ha for the highest yielding group. The Australian cultivar, Clare, and 9 native Corsican ecotypes were the most productive genotypes (up to 10 t DM/ha.year in a wet year, with 2 t DM/ha during the winter period). These highest yielding ecotypes could be exploited to breed new mid-to- late-maturing cultivars better adapted to northern Mediterranean environments. In the short term, Clare may be used on large scale, for establishment of improved pastures in this region.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.